Unity is the European Union’s greatest strength and “only by acting together, across institutions and across member states, can we translate unity into action”, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday.
He was outlining Cyprus’ priorities during its presidency of the council of the EU to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Christodoulides said the Cyprus EU presidency had begun at an inflection point for the bloc, which called for an autonomous Union, open to the world.
Although the EU was not perfect, it had the ability to evolve and unite in times of great challenges, he said.
Referring to international crises, including Ukraine, the Middle East and climate change, Christodoulides said “the international order we relied upon for decades is no longer a given”.
“A more autonomous Union is one with the internal strength to cooperate whenever possible. And act independently whenever necessary,” he pointed out.
Outlining Cyprus’ priorities, Christodoulides referred to the five pillars, namely defence, competitiveness, enlargement, affordable housing and budget.
Speaking particularly about Ukraine and Greenland, he said that if the principle that force cannot redraw borders fails, then “everything becomes negotiable, whether in Ukraine, in Greenland, or anywhere else”.
“We must build a stronger European security architecture, and we must do so with urgency,” he said, adding that this included “strengthening Arctic security”.
Welcoming Christodoulides to the European Parliament session, Metsola assured Cyprus could continue to count on the institution’s support for the Cyprus problem.
“In this chamber, we do not talk about a Cyprus problem, but about a shared European issue. The European Parliament will always be on your side towards a single sovereign European state, a bicommunal, bizonal federation in line with the United Nations resolutions and rooted in our shared values and EU law,” she said.
Referring to the EU presidency, Metsola said Cyprus’ term would not be easy, but “we are grateful to have you at the helm as Europe navigates what may come.”
During the debate that followed, Christodoulides replied to interventions by MEPs, saying that European integration passed through the termination of the Turkish occupation of part of Cyprus.
On immigration, he said there were solutions and referred to Cyprus’ efforts over the past few years, which saw an 80 per cent drop in arrivals and an increase of over 60 per cent in returns.
He also said joining the Schengen area was a strategic aim for Cyprus. To date, Cyprus has passed all technical evaluations and has complied in all sectors, and is now awaiting the European Commission’s final report.
Christodoulides pointed out that during Cyprus’ EU presidency a series of EU policies and measures would be announced for the broader region of the Middle East.
Referring to transparency, accountability and combatting corruption, Christodoulides said Cyprus has been attracting qualitative foreign investment due to the fact that it has rated positively in international reports.
This, he said, led to growth of over 3 per cent, unemployment below 5 per cent for the first time since 2008, public debt around 50 per cent and further investments in social policy.
On the EU budget in general, Christodoulides said the multiannual financial framework should meet all needs, while at the same time maintaining the policies that are beneficial for the people, such as the cohesion fund and the common agricultural policy.
The president was officially welcomed at the European Parliament by Metsola, followed by a tête-à-tête before the plenum session.
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